Animal Assisted Learning Programme
The young people will attend one - four times a week for a period of 12 weeks or more 10.30 - 3.00 and will get involved hands on working with small animals, farms animals, and reptitles.
Young People will work with small animals and domestic livestock and have a range of tasks to choose from:
- Feeding and cleaning
- Grooming
- Handling
- Health care
- Provide opportunities for exercise
Many young people have lost confidence in their ability to learn, our programme will help them re-discover the fun and value of learning along with learning other skills which they can transfer into other areas of their life.
Participants will acquire hands-on skills that can be used outside the programme through experiencing the daily routine at the centre. This includes maintenance at the farm, learning to clean the stalls, feed and water animals and learning about the animals environment, grounds upkeep and repair, students will be educated in animal care maintenance, nutrition, health care management and behaviour.
Benefits of animal-assisted programme
The goal of animal-assisted programme is to improve young peoples social, emotional or cognitive functioning. Animals can help because they can make people feel safe and loved when they have been deprived of social interaction or hurt by other people. Animals do not communicate with words, and so some patients who are afraid of approaching people can comfortably approach an animal. Some of the advantages that we have experienced are:
- The animal relieves some of the tension and anxiety
- Interacting with an animal is entertaining and fun;
- Talking to the animal is easy
- The animals can help young people recognise their own feelings;
- Working with animals can improve self esteem, by being presented with opportunities to succeed and feel important.
Also, animals can:
- Help young people focus on an issue;
- Help develop empathy; Improve socialisation and communication;
- Brighten the mood and lessen depression;
- Provide pleasure and affection;
- Help address grieving and loss issues;
- Increase concentration and attention;
- Decrease manipulative behaviour;
- Improve expression of feelings;
- Reduce general anxiety;
- Improve an ability to trust;
- Teach appropriate touch.
Animal assisted interventions can often bring positive results when other conventional approaches do not seem to work. Animal Assisted Activities are less specific and can include activities such as general animal care and husbandry. Activities are less goal focused and may be carried out with different people within a group such as animal handling activities.
Most people are aware of the use of dogs to assist people with physical or sensory needs to go about their daily lives, but there is a long history of the use of other animals for their therapeutic qualities.
Just being around animals and caring for them can be hugely beneficial both physically and mentally. It is now well documented that holding and stroking animals can reduce blood pressure and alleviate feelings of tension and anxiety. Animals are non-judgemental and give unconditional love, and for survivors of abuse can often be the first form of 'safe touch'.
They are an excellent aid to communication and are always a good talking point, but they are also useful in assisting with non-verbal communication and have produced good results when working with people with autistic spectrum disorders and attention deficit disorder. Animal Assisted Interventions can be used to assist with maintaining mobility and improving co-ordination and people can learn transferable skills to assist them in daily life.
Many of the animals at the centre are 'rescue animals' having a second chance in life, and we will ensure that they have a permanent home with us.
All of our animals are routinely health checked and all activities are risk assessed.
If you would like to refer a young person please email us dawndingwall@btinternet.com
